BY CHARLIE DUMAVI
A recent finding to compile the 2025 seismic design manual for bridges in Papua New Guinea listed a number of bridges including the famous Markham bridge in Morobe as hazardous.
Secretary for Works and Highways, Gibson Holemba ( pictured below) expressed that the change in climate has impacted a lot of infrastructure.
He said a couple of bridges and infrastructure-built years ago in Lae and around Morobe need redesigning to meet safety standards.
The major one being Marham bridge in Huon Gulf District that links the City of Lae to Wau and Bulolo districts where major extractive mines operate including the proposed Wafi Golpu project.
“Markham bridge also has to change. Markham bridge has been affected by earthquakes so we are looking at working with JICA to redesign and reconstruct it,” Holemba said.
“With the current project in Wafi Golpu, there will be high traffic loads going up and down on that highway.”
He also challenged the engineers to do research and find solutions for the current unbridled Kumalu river.
Current Markham bridge has natural banks and riverbeds that do not contain the flooded Markham River during wet season.
With the introduction of the 2025 revised Seismic Desing Manual for bridges in Papua New Guinea from 1986 Earthquake Engineering, all designs going forward will have to be compliant.
This also means the country is doing away with Bailey Bridge designs to Steel Girder Bridges.
Holemba expressed that, “many of our bridges in PNG have rivers flowing on natural banks and beds unlike other countries where rivers have guided banks.”
He said this is why many bridges gets washed away by flooded banks and other natural causes.
“Environment load and the change in climate have a lot of impact on both buildings and civil infrastructure,” Holemba added.
He stated that bridges link people to vital services and improve academician activities. Therefore, all bridges built by engineers must be compliant with the new manual.
